Martin Jones Keeps Coming Up Big For Los Angeles Kings

By Jonathan Katje

Tom Szczerbowski – USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Kings got a huge night on offense to record a 6-0 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night, and on Wednesday they showed no signs of slowing down as they beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1 on Wednesday night. It was the fifth straight win for the Kings and the fourth in a row for rookie goaltender Martin Jones. After waiting and waiting for his chance, Jones has now seized the opportunity to play between the pipes for L.A. and is posting the kind of stats that will turn more than a few heads.

Jones made 38 saves against a talented Maple Leafs team on Wednesday, and now has a 4-0 record as an NHL starter, along with a 0.74 goals-against average and .974 save percentage. A mainstay for the AHL’s Manchester Monarchs for more than three seasons, Jones was given a chance after Kings starter Jonathan Quick went down with an injury and backup Ben Scrivens had played in 10 consecutive games. Los Angeles has managed to thrive without Quick, with an overall record of 10-1-3 in his absence. With 18 goals in the last five games, the Kings have done their part in front of both netminders. The Maple Leafs threw everything they could at Jones, but for the second consecutive game he was able to make 30 or more saves to get a win. Jones is likely on his way back to the AHL once Quick is healthy, but at the minimum he has showcased value as a trade chip or free agent in the future.

Jonathan Katje is an NHL featured columnist for Rant Sports. You can follow him on Twitter or add him to your circles on Google Plus.

Looking to go to a game this week? Check out Barrystickets.com for all your Kings tickets. L.A. has three games this week, Tuesday Dec. 17 vs. Edmonton, Thursday vs. San Jose and Saturday vs. Colorado. You can find great deals for any of those three games so grab them now!